Immortality Saga Part 2: Fake Lips
by yumeneko
Summary: It starts off as a simple mystery of a controlled town, but as the story deepens, the Sanzo-ikkou find out it's not just the town involved... Is the story really over or will there be more revelations to be made on the "legacy"?
1. Chapter 1

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

+_____

Note: Look who has come back from the grave…

+_____

Chapter 1: Chameleon Heart 

****

We were sent fifty years into the past to retrieve something for our master

The priests at the temple stepped aside as three dark strangers appeared.

_Hai! We'd do anything for our master!_

When some of the priests tried to go against them, they were killed brutally.

So we are here… In this pagan temple fifty years ago… These priests here are far too weak to handle my magic…

A tall dark lady smiled as she claimed the prize she was sent for.

Great job!! Master will be so happy! 

A shorter girl laughed as she threw a bomb into the temple.

Now, let's go back to the future… We've finished our mission here. 

A burly man smirked as the temple blew up to bits.

We've claimed the Chameleon Heart.

+++

In the present, Lirin went on ahead of the rest of her group.

"Lirin-sama! Matte kudasai!" Yaone puffed as she tried to keep up with the Tenjiku princess.

"Can't catch me!" Lirin smirked as she kept on running towards the nearby town.

As she entered the town, she looked around. It was practically deserted.

"What happened here?"

"Lirin-sama!" Yaone caught up with the younger youkai.

"Yaone… Do you see something in the distance?" Lirin squinted to take a closer look at what seems to be a cloaked figure.

Yaone tried looking, but all she could see was the color of the cloak the figure wore, "It's black…"

"Yaone… I'm afraid… I feel a strong aura around him… It's like Shien's… but stronger…" Lirin held on to her companion's arm.

"Stay close, Lirin… He's dangerous…" Yaone prepared her explosives.

Perfect… They're the perfect lure… 

"Did you hear something?" Lirin took a fighting stance beside Yaone.

Yaone backed up a bit, "Lirin-sama… I don't know… But I'm becoming so sleepy…" Suddenly, the female youkai collapsed.

"Yaone!" Lirin shook Yaone, "Wake up!!"

"Oh… Little girl… There's no one to take care of you now…" Lirin stared into the face of her attacker.

"Dokugakuji… you traitor…" Lirin gasped before he casted his spell on her, "You trai… tor…"

+++

"Ne, Sanzo… Haraheta!!" Goku complained.

"Urusai, bakazarou!" Sanzo whipped Goku with his harisen.

"Maa, maa… Don't worry, Goku… We're near a town…" Hakkai smiled as he saw the town nearing.

"Great! As long as there's a lot of girls and booze there, I'm happy…" Gojyo smiled.

"Ero-kappa!!" Goku teased the half-demon.

"Ah! We're here now!" Hakkai cheerfully said as they stopped right in front of the town.

"Isn't it quite deserted?" Sanzo questioned Hakkai.

"Ah… I guess it is…" Hakkai sweatdropped, "Maybe there's a problem in this town… Let's just go look around…"

And so they stepped out of the jeep. Hakuryuu perched on his owner's arm in his dragon form.

+++

"Master! They're here…" A burly man reported to a black-cloaked man in a throne.

"Stay here for the meantime, Ren… We'll just lure them here."

"How about Hikki and Yoru?"

"Leave those girls to their own devices. Yoru's the best mage for miles and Hikki's one of the best in illusions."

"Are you underestimating me, master?"

"Of course not, Ren… It's just that I don't think you should steal the show off with your power."

"Kuro-sama…"

"Just remember that I want Sanzo alive…"

"Hai, Kuro-sama…"


	2. Chapter 2

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

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Note: Look who has come back from the grave… 

+_____

Chapter 2: Silver-haired Beauty 

"Ah… A decent hotel!" Gojyo sighed as he plopped unto the sofa in the middle of the lobby.

"We're lucky that the hotel manager has no one occupying the whole hotel…" Hakkai sipped his sake.

"Fortunately we have separate rooms…" Sanzo sipped his sake, "I won't have to see your ugly faces…"

"Anyway, while we're here… I might as well go hunting for beauties…" Gojyo grinned.

"Itarashaii!" Goku greeted Gojyo off.

"Ja… Will I be shopping for groceries now, Sanzo?" Hakkai asked the monk.

"Do as you wish… Just don't buy Goku anything he wants…" Sanzo handed Hakkai his gold credit card.

"Ja na, Sanzo!" Goku smiled as he left the hotel. Before Hakkai could go out, Sanzo stopped him.

"Hakkai?" 

"Yes, Sanzo?"

"There's something strange about this town…"

"I know… I feel it, too." Hakkai turned to look deep into Sanzo's eyes, "Why don't you go with me and Goku to buy groceries?"

"I don't want to."

"But it'll do good for your health…" Hakkai smiled at the blonde.

Sanzo retreated to the sofa, "I just don't want to… If you want to walk with me so badly, why don't you just wait until the two bakas are asleep tonight?"

"Fine then… Anything you say, Sanzo…" Hakkai smiled, "I'll see you later…"

As Goku and Hakkai were doing their shopping, Gojyo looked around the town's bare streets.

"Damn… How will I ever find a girl here?"

As he said his words, he saw a lady cloaked to shield herself from the sand.

"Hey…" Gojyo approached the tall beauty, "What are you doing here?"

"Doing the grocery…" The lady looked up at Gojyo. Her silver hair and blue eyes a bright contrast to her light-tinted skin.

"You're a pretty desert flower… We haven't introduced each other properly yet. My name's Gojyo… Sha Gojyo."

"Me… I'm… Yoriko…" The girl said unmoved, "Nice to meet you, Sha Gojyo. If you may, I must get finish the grocery for my parents… Goodbye."

Gojyo waved as the lady walked away.

"Yoriko, eh? I sense something wrong with her…"

+++

"We're back!" Goku gleefully announced as he entered the hotel.

"Well then, Sanzo… Have you found out anything much about this town?" Hakkai asked.

"The manager gave me a good amount of information. This town was 'cursed' he said. He said that there was a powerful sorcerer here who had placed this town under a spell. He wasn't quite sure what the curse was anyway. All he said was that no one in this town could go against his orders." Sanzo explained.

"Looks like we have a bit of investigating to do…" Hakkai said thoughtfully.

+++

Kuro stood up from his dark throne and looked at the unconscious Lirin in her cage.

"Sooner or later, you'll serve me well. I have no use for your companion… I might as well either execute her or just send her back to your brother."

He crouched down to looked at the young youkai in the cage.

"The perfect bait to the perfect trap…"

+++

Later that night, a familiar face greeted Gojyo.

"Yoriko…"

"Konbanwa, Gojyo-san…" Yoriko bowed, "Have you heard of the curse placed on this town?"

"No. Not at all. Can you tell me?" Gojyo asked.

"Well then. There was a tale about a powerful sorcerer in a black cape preaching about how evil the world was. One day, a young boy defied him and said he was wrong. The sorcerer tried to punish the boy. But what the boy did was spit on his face. Furious, the sorcerer casted a curse upon this town, making sure that the people of this town knew neither love or hate. All they knew was obedience. That's why this town is what it is… Deserted."

"Then how about you?"

"I didn't feel anything when you met me. I just took no notice and obeyed my parent's orders."

"No wonder you looked so aloof…" Gojyo sighed, "Well then… Maybe I should pay a visit to this sorcerer of yours… Where is he?" 

 "He lives near a cliff. But that's what the rumors say…" Yoriko said coldly.

"Ahh… Anyway, I'll go see if those rumors are true then…" Gojyo smirked, "I'll see if I can bring the feeling back into this town."

****


	3. Chapter 3

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

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Note: Look who has come back from the grave… I've been listening to Eyes On Me while writing this… * blink, blink *

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Chapter 3: In The Moonlight 

****

"Sanzo…" Hakkai entered Sanzo's room that evening after Gojyo and Goku had fallen asleep.

"I was waiting for you…" Sanzo said as he stood up.

"Well then, shall we go?" Hakkai asked the monk.

Sanzo nodded in reply and went ahead of Hakkai.

"Gojyo told me something about the curse in this town…" Hakkai said, "Right, we only know about the sorcerer? Gojyo told me that the curse placed upon the people was something about not having any emotion… He also told be about the sorcerer's whereabouts."

"So where is this sorcerer?" Sanzo asked the youkai beside him.

"Somewhere near a cliff around this town…"

"Well then, we'll investigate it tomorrow… For now, I just want to relax in this quiet town…" Sanzo sat down on a park bench. Hakkai sat down beside him and Sanzo rested his head on his shoulder, "Hakkai…"

"Hai, Sanzo…" Hakkai drew him closer to him, "This town's just so peaceful this way… It's not like the other towns we've been at. We can be left in peace…" He felt Sanzo nod against his neck.

Yet suddenly, Hakkai heard his own heartbeat in his ears…

Hakkai… Hakkai… 

His heart seemed to say. He clutched his heart and started to feel faint.

Hakkai… Hakkai… 

"Hakkai? Hakkai!!" Sanzo tried to awaken his lover. Hakkai moaned as he began to awake.

"What… happened?" He asked, eyesight still blurry from his ordeal.

"You fainted…" Sanzo said relieved.

"I felt something trying to take over me…" The brunette got up, still in Sanzo's arms.

"It might be that curse…" Sanzo said, helping Hakkai to his feet, "Maybe it's starting to affect us…"

"I don't know…" Hakkai shook his head, "It felt more like possession than curses. Let's go back… We'll examine the cliff tomorrow."

Sanzo nodded in agreement as he helped Hakkai get back to the hotel.

When they entered the hotel, they found that Gojyo was waiting for them at the lobby.

"I knew you two were outside… So what happened?" Gojyo inquired.

"I just fainted… Nothing much…" Hakkai said weakly.

_Fainting? Possession? There's something creepy here… And in a sense, it's familiar… _Sanzo thought as he carried Hakkai to his room, "I'll watch over you tonight, Hakkai… Who knows what will happen out there…"

"Goku…" there was a voice at Goku's window.

"Eh? Lirin?" Goku looked out the window to find Lirin perched on the windowsill.

"Ne, Goku… We're you wondering about those rumors the others were talking about?"

"Un. Wanna go check it out?"

"Sure… I'm getting the heebie-jeebies from thinking about it…" Lirin nodded as Goku opened the window and jumped out with Lirin. Unfortunately, he didn't see the cloaked man smiling in a nearby alley…

"Have fun, children…"

****


	4. Chapter 4

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

+_____

Note: Look who has come back from the grave… There's something about Hakkai…

+_____

Chapter 4: Break Into The Soul 

The town was quiet after Goku and Lirin left to investigate the lair of the sorcerer. The alleys were quiet and not a soul was on the streets. All the lights were off except the light in Hakkai's room. Sanzo was sitting beside the sleeping brunette, drinking a bit of beer as he read the newspapers.

"Oi, Sanzo." Gojyo called from the door, "Are you okay there?"

"Go away… I don't need any help." Sanzo growled as he continued to read.

"I went to check on the saru. He's not is bed." Gojyo said.

"Goku…" Hakkai stirred from his sleep, but Sanzo clasped his arms around him and eased him back to sleep.

"Hakkai… I know you're worried. But I can't afford you to go fainting anywhere you go." Sanzo whispered.

"Demo, Sanzo… What if he gets hurt?" Hakkai worried, "Can't I do something?"

"Go to sleep… The last thing I want to do is get you hurt. Don't worry, Gojyo will go look for him…" Sanzo assured the healer.

Hakkai wrapped his arms around Sanzo's neck and drew him close to his heart, "Arigato, Sanzo…"

Sanzo nodded against Hakkai's neck as he rose to tell his commands to Gojyo.

"Okay then… I'll find that saru…" Gojyo assured the monk on the other side of the door.

Sanzo went back to his task of taking care of Hakkai.

"Sanzo… You don't need to look after me so much…"

"Shikashi, Hakkai. What if the curse on this town hurts you?"

"Don't worry. I'm strong enough to fight it off myself." Hakkai smiled at the worried monk, "Please… For the sake of the people in this town… And me…"

"Okay, Hakkai… But be careful…"

"Hai, Sanzo."

As Sanzo left for the lair of the sorcerer, a cold wind blew over Hakkai and he heard the same words from the time he fainted.

_Hakkai… Hakkai…_

His heart beat faster as the wind blew harder. And suddenly, he felt something thrust through him.

"What is this?" he whispered as the unknown thing went through him. At his door materialized a cloaked figure.

"It's your soul…" The hooded figure said in a very familiar voice, "It's being sucked through you… You won't feel anything… But before you completely black out, I'll show you who I am…" The man removed his cloak and bent over Hakkai.

"You… You're… me." Hakkai's eyes widened to see the stranger's face.

"Exactly… I've got your face… your body… and your voice. I'm the perfect replacement." The stranger smiled devilishly, "A little gift from you to me…" The stranger caught Hakkai's lips with his own and kissed him passionately, the stranger never letting go of Hakkai while Hakkai had no strength to push him back, "Sayonara, Cho Hakkai…" The stranger said as he continued to hold Hakkai in his arms, "No wonder Sanzo likes you so much… Such soft lips… Makes me want to wish I was him…"

"I wonder if Hakkai's alright…" Sanzo wondered as he looked back at the hotel far behind him, "I wish he is…"

****


	5. Chapter 5

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

+_____

Note: Look who has come back from the grave… There's something about Hakkai…

+_____

**_Chapter 5: Where Are You Going?_**

****

Gojyo ran around town in search of Goku. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to find him in the town.

"Where the heck is that damn monkey…" Gojyo growled. A familiar voice answered him.

"Maybe he went to the sorcerer's lair…" Yoriko appeared.

Gojyo looked at Yoriko, "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping right now?"

"I can't sleep. My sister is missing."

"Well then, why don't we search together, we might need each other in case the sorcerer shows up…"

"I cannot defy him." Yoriko said paralyzed, "He holds our fate in his hands."

Meanwhile, as Yoriko and Gojyo were at the gates of the village, the cloaked stranger stood in front of the hotel holding his head as if he suffered a major headache.

"Itai… I can still feel that bullet passing through my head… I swear I'll take my revenge on Sanzo… But I can't kill him… I need him for my plans… I can't use him dead. Ha ha ha ha ha…"

His laughter echoed through the town as he teleported away.

"Was that Hakkai?" Gojyo heard the echoing laughter.

"Hurry, let's go to the lair…" Yoriko rushed Gojyo.                                                                                                                                                   

While Gojyo headed towards the lair, Goku and Lirin finally reached the gates of the lair.

"So we're here…" Goku said in awe.

"Yeah… I'm scared." Lirin clung to Goku's arm. Goku blushed as he saw Lirin clinging to his arm scared of the gates.

"Daijoubu, Lirin-chan, we're both strong, aren't we?" Goku grinned at his female counterpart. 

"Gomenasai… I kinda lost my energy…" Lirin gave a slight smile, "Anyway, at least you're here! Oira-tachi wa tsuyoi yo!"

Confident now, Goku opened the gates. The lair had no light shining in it but as soon as Goku set foot into the building, lights suddenly shone, blinding the both of them. 

"This way!" Lirin ran ahead, pointing out the way for Goku. Lirin continued to lead while Goku followed until they reached a door labeled, "Dungeon", "You go in first…" she told Goku.

So Goku went inside to investigate. 

"Welcome to the dungeon, young fools… You'll have to face me to survive." A young girl's voice echoed through the dungeon, "And may I thank Lirin for bringing our young target here… Nonetheless… I might as well kill both of you!" She jumped down from where she was hiding.

"Hikki… Mistress of illusion…" Lirin's eyes widened.

"Lirin… you betrayed me…" Goku looked dejected.

"And so she did! Die fools…" Hikki smiled as the dungeon started to blur.

Sanzo reached the lair of the sorcerer, "Nothing to do but to go in…"

So he entered the lair and headed north towards the ballroom.

"So, here is the high monk Sanzo…" A gruff voice laughed, "I'll be the one to face you…"

"Kuso!" Sanzo's eyes widened as he dodged the initial attack from a burly man with a huge sword.

"My name is Ren, the sword master. You'll have to face me before you face my master."

Finally, Gojyo was the last to go in. Yoriko guided him towards the east side of the lair towards the gardens.

"Yoriko, why are you guiding me?" Gojyo asked her.

"It's because…" She opened the doors to the garden to where the beautiful enchantress, Yoru, was waiting, "I was ordered to."

"Nice to meet you, Sha Gojyo… I will be your opponent tonight…" Yoru smiled devilishly.   


	6. Chapter 6

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

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Note: Look who has come back from the grave… If you're wondering where I based the three bosses fighting style, here's the little note… Hikki, the mistress of illusion, is based on Final Fantasy Tactics' Time and Yin-Yang Magic. Yoru, the Mage Mistress, is a combination Black and Summon Magic and Ren, the sword master is a combination of Black Knight and Lancer.

+_____

**_Chapter 6: Be Strong_**

****

"Say hello to your grave, Son Goku…" Hikki said as the mist filled up the whole dungeon. Goku rushed forward to punch her but when he did, Hikki just disappeared.

"Where did she go?" Goku looked around and suddenly, he heard a scream, "LIRIN!!" He ran towards the direction of the scream but he was too late, Lirin lay in the mist, bleeding to death.

"Goku… Onegai… Be strong…" Lirin whispered in her final breath.

"Lirin… Speak to me… You aren't dead yet… Lirin…"

"She's dead… You've got no one to speak to now, Son Goku…" Hikki reappeared in front of Lirin's corpse.

Away from the illusionist's mist, Lirin stood watching Goku punch thin air while Hikki stood away from the mist.

"Everything's just an illusion, but how do I tell Goku that?" Lirin sighed. Summoning up all her strength, she yelled, "GOKU!! It's just an illusion!! Be strong!!"

Goku perked up when he heard Lirin's voice, "Lirin!! Where are you?!?"

"I'm outside the illusion! The mist isn't covering the whole dungeon! It's only affecting you!"

"Help me out here! Go beat up that stupid illusionist!"

"Hai!!" Lirin grinned as she watched the illusionist. She rushed forward towards Hikki to give her a Lirin Punch, Hikki disappeared before Lirin's eyes, but Lirin was certain Hikki was there, so she performed a combo in the empty space until one of her punches landed on the illusionist's gut. When Hikki was damaged, the illusion left the two.

"Iku!! Nyoibo!!" Goku grinned as he summoned his staff to come crashing down on Hikki. She effectively dodged it, but it was countered by one of Lirin's combos.

"Kuso… You found a way to counter my illusion…" Hikki flicked the blood drawn on her lip, "I guess I'll have to hurt you with the best of my illusions!" She raised her arms to the air and chanted, "Mindless, spiritless, hear the immutable beat... Paralyze!"

"Nanda! I can't move!!" Lirin struggled.

"Kuso…" Goku struggled as well, "I won't lose to a witch like YOU!!" As he summoned his will, the paralyze spell broke.

"If Goku can break this spell, I won't lose to you as well!!" Lirin joyfully said as she also broke Hikki's spell.

"Ha ha ha… That was just phase one… Time has come... Crash down on the wicked!  Meteor!" Hikki summoned.

"Hayaku… We'll have to kill her before meteor is summoned…" Lirin said to Goku.

"Un… Let's do it… Touryaa!" Goku jumped to give Hikki a strong combo with his nyoibo. Lirin quickly followed with her own combo finished off with a blast of the magic her brother taught her.

"Is she dead?"

"I guess so… Her neck looks broken…" Goku said as he bent down to check on Hikki, "Well then, let's go find that sorcerer…"

But before the two could escape the dungeon, chains brought them to the wall. 

"Damn! That sorcerer must have enchanted this lair…" Goku growled.


	7. Chapter 7

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

+_____

Note: This can be the start of everyone's confusion… The story links to Never Eternal and Warau Kisetsu (Both are my older stories) at this point.

+_____

**_Chapter 7: Cho Hakkai File 2 Read-Only_**

****

"Gojyo-san… Meet my sister, the mage mistress, Yoru." Yoriko said as she walked to her sister's side.

"You traitor… You tricked me!" Gojyo cursed out loud.

"Exactly… That's the point of this game…" Yoru smiled, "Don't worry… The grandest illusion comes to the ones who face our master… It's too bad you won't live to see it! Shatter frozen blades of air!  Cyclops!" She summoned.

Gojyo felt the earth rumble at his feet. And out of the ground came forth a hideous one-eyed beast with chains wrapping around his purple skin.

"You'll never be able to defeat the Cyclops, Sha Gojyo… This is the end of you! DIE!!" Yoriko's face broke into a menacing grin.

Gojyo leaped to dodge the Cyclops' initial attack, but the monster quickly shot him down with chains shooting out of his hideous skin.

"Traitor…" Gojyo landed safely.

_Maybe if I kill Yoru, this damn monster will disappear…_

Gojyo started to rush towards the silver-haired summoner. But suddenly, he felt something burning within him. He looked behind him; the Cyclops disappeared. 

"Fool…" Yoru laughed, "You've been a fool to attack me… I hold the powerful black and summon magic in my hands… I've just affected you with poison. Die slowly, Sha Gojyo… Let us leave this poor soul alone to die, my sister…"

Meanwhile, as Gojyo tried to fight the burning poison within him, Hakkai laid lifeless in his bed. But fortunately, his soul found the place of memories.

"What is this place?" He questioned. He walked through familiar paths. The orphanage… The hundred-eyed monster's castle… Kanan's death… And Sanzo, seeking him, the criminal. But after passing though familiar memories, he ran into a strange place that looked overrun by computers. And there were two CDs in front of him. One was labeled "Cho Hakkai File 1". The other was labeled "Cho Hakkai File 2 Read-only". Curious, Hakkai took the second file. He looked to his right and saw an open disk drive. He loaded the CD inside and suddenly his surroundings became blurry. When his surroundings became focused again, he looked around. 

  
"This isn't Togenkyo or Tenjiku… This must be a future life…"

Everything looked different. And as he peeked through one of the doors, he saw himself tickling a perfect copy of himself.

"Aniki! Would you stop with that! You're ruining the bed!! I just fixed it this morning!"

"Mou… Hiro… Would you stop being so uptight…?"

"Look who's talking, Hakkai… You're uptight yourself… Have you ever forgotten that we are twins?"

_Twins? I have a twin in another life? _Hakkai thought shocked as he continued to watch the scene. But he looked behind to find a younger brunette with short hair and brown eyes pass right through him and barge into the twin's room.

"Onii-chan… You two sound two men romping… I could have sworn Kouryuu could have been in this room right now with you two…" 

"Emiko… You're starting to sound like mother…" Hiro laughed.

"Hakkai-niichan… Better go prepare breakfast today. It's your turn…" Emiko smiled as she left the room.

Suddenly a bright flash blinded him. The flash faded to show Emiko in a dark room with one of the twins.

"There can never be two a single maiden has to die for…" Emiko said as she took out a gun and pointed it at the twin, "Die… Never be reborn… Be a sacrifice less… Hiro-niichan… Gomenasai… But both of us has to die to let Hakkai-niichan live… It's been like this for centuries. It's the legacy of the Chameleon Heart."

"Before you kill me… Tell me about this legacy, Emiko…" Hiro asked unafraid.

"The Chameleon Heart was created by a maiden who wanted her brother, a criminal to survive. She used her own blood to charm the Chameleon Heart. She was an enchantress, so her blood gave the holder of the stone, her brother, the power to shape shift. She promised him that she'd keep him safe forever. So anyone born with the fate to sacrifice herself will have to. But you are a hindrance, Hiro-niichan. If I don't kill you, neither you nor Hakkai-niichan will live. But I'll live… Someday, when eleven lives will be merged, the priestess of the wind will arise and I will be reborn as her…" Emiko narrated, "Now you die…" She shot Hiro in the forehead.

"Emiko… Murderer…" Hiro gasped as blood trickled from his forehead.

"You won't be alone…" Emiko whispered as she shot herself in the heart. Her eyes faded to green as she slowly bled.

"Sou na…" Hakkai gasped at the sight he saw. The floor was covered in Hiro and Emiko's blood, "This can't be true… In every life I live, there is someone sacrificing her life for me… Kanan… She must have been one of them. No… I thought all the bloodshed would be over." Hakkai got to his knees and looked at Hiro's lifeless body, then something caught his eye. There was a mark in his scalp.

_Cho Hakkai File 2_

"He… is me." 


	8. Chapter 8

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

+_____

Note: This can be the start of everyone's confusion… The story links to Never Eternal and Warau Kisetsu (Both are my older stories) at this point.

+_____

**_Chapter 8: Two Sides Separated_**

****

"What's happening?" Hakkai asked as his surroundings started to become blurry again. When his surroundings came into focus, he found Hiro in front of a pool of souls.

"What are you doing outside the pool of souls? You're supposed to be dead." A hooded man ordered Hiro. He kept silent and later, a young girl with brown hair and purple eyes came into the picture.

"Leave him alone, Macabre… Hades' orders. His other half is still alive. Cho Hakkai File 2 is a glitch caused by one of the computers in Destiny… Although the first file is whole, this second file is supposed to be a back-up file. Unfortunately, one of the computers thought it was a twin file and loaded it with File 1. They don't know that File 2 can't completely die without the first file."

"Yes. I understand, Azrael. What does Hades want to do with this defect?" The man called Macabre questioned.

"He wants him to be the Grim Reaper for the meantime. He says I'm too young to be the Grim Reaper." The young girl, Azrael replied, "Hades will be brainwashing him to believe that we're twins. Then we'll have to fabricate his past of being brought up in Pandemonium."  

"Don't you think it's quite complicated?"

"Not so…" Azrael smiled, "He's only a solid soul. He can be seen and touched even if he's just a soul. But he can also possess bodies."

"Sounds like you… The only Grim Reaper ever to have to power to possess souls…" Macabre laughed, "You'd be perfect twins. Then we'll also have to fabricate a story on why you're the only one who can remove her body like a mask…"

"Leave that to Hades…"

"Do you mean I'm immortal?" Hiro asked Azrael.

"True. You are. Not unless you die at the same time as your other half. File 1." Azrael replied.

"Before you brainwash me, tell me what happened to my brother… and Emiko."

"Un. File 1 found the two of you dead. He went into shock, sold the house and lived with Genjo Kouryuu… Y'know. The guy who your bro's going out with… Anyway, Emiko is not here anymore. She's part of one of those multi-lived priestesses. She went back to earth to be reincarnated as part of the eleven lives of the wind priestess. See those bright pillars there?" Azrael pointed at four colored pillars of light, "Those are the soul tunnels of the priestesses. All those who are meant to be the priestess will instantly be brought back to earth through their respective elements."

"Thank you for telling me. Now, I'm ready to be brainwashed…"

Another bright flash of light. The brainwashing was over.

"What is your name?" A burly man seated on his throne asked.

"My name is Quietus, Hades-sama." Hiro replied. He didn't look like the same Hiro Hakkai recognized. He looked menacing. He looked as if he really was bred in the underworld. His green eyes were cunning yet shone a certain depth of coldness within. His eyes looked like a killer's eyes. His mouth was curled into a smart smile. He became someone else…

"Who is Hiro?"

"Hiro? I've never heard that name before, Hades-sama."

"Who is Hakkai?"

"I don't know him either, Hades-sama. But his name seems to bring something back to me…"

"Who is Emiko?"

"I'm sorry again, Hades-sama, I don't know anything about anyone named Emiko."

"Where were you born?"

"In the underworld. Under the family of Grim Reapers."

"Who are you related to?"

"Azrael. My younger twin."     

"What is your job?"

"I am the Grim Reaper. I will reap the souls of the dead and take them back to the pool of souls."

Hiro did not exist anymore. Hiro was dead. Quietus was born. A flash of light appeared again. This time, the scene was of Quietus sacrificing his body to release the pool of souls. The Quietus in this scene had a body similar to Azrael, purple eyes and brown hair, that was the sacrificed body. Then the scene blurs to reveal Quietus possessing Hakkai's lifeless body on the Terra battlefield. Then another flash of light, Sanzo killing Quietus and making him die again. The bullet hit Quietus in the same place Emiko shot Hiro at. Square in the middle of the forehead.

A final flash of light. Hakkai was back where he started. The computer and the two CDs.

"That's the truth… The man who took my soul tonight was my future brother. A perfect copy of me. Because that is who he is. Me."


	9. Chapter 9

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

+_____

Note: This can be the start of everyone's confusion… The story links to Never Eternal and Warau Kisetsu (Both are my older stories) at this point.

+_____

**_Chapter 9: The Love Of A Brother_**

****

"Shi-ne…" Sanzo pushed Ren away.

"Heh. You're lucky it wasn't in Kuro-sama's orders to kill you." Ren smirked as he charged forward.

"Yamete kudasai, Ren… I'll handle him…" Hakkai's voice echoed through the dark, empty ballroom.

"Kuro-sama." Ren disappeared. Sanzo turned to look at who had Hakkai's voice. Who he saw was a cloaked man.

"You don't remember me, do you, Sanzo?" The cloaked stranger said as he removed his cloak.

"Hakkai?"

"Wrong answer…" The man with Hakkai's face smiled.

"Those eyes… You're someone else… Quietus?" Sanzo asked.

"Oh… I see. You remember your supposed future if you let Hakkai die back in the battlefield…" Quietus took a step forward.

"I thought I killed you." Sanzo whispered.

"But you changed the future. You brought me back…" Quietus took another step.

"Why do you have Hakkai's body? Did you possess him again?"

"I just took his soul out of his body again… But I had no use for Hakkai's body. I just noticed I have more power just the way I am…" Quietus came nearer.

"Just the way you are… This is your real form… You look exactly like Hakkai."

"I really don't know why I was born like this. A perfect copy of Hakkai…" Quietus stopped moving.

"Then… Tell me… Why are you hunting me down? Is it revenge for that bullet I put through your head?"

"Oh… That reminds me. If the future never happened… Why does my head still feel a bullet going through it? I still have a use for you… I'll use your power to take my revenge on Pandemonium…" Quietus smiled as he took another step nearer Sanzo.

"Why do you take revenge on Pandemonium?"

"For a strange reason… My body seems to react to Pandemonium as a place of torture." Quietus moved closer, "I pity the souls that live there…"

"You were never shown genuine love, have you?" Sanzo understood.

"It might be…" Quietus' fists loosened, "There's something inside me missing. A part of memory." He snapped his fingers and Sanzo started to feel pain in his forehead.

"A part of emotion." He snapped his fingers once again and Sanzo's chest filled with pain.

"A part of myself…" He snapped his fingers one last time and Sanzo's whole body filled with pain.

"Quietus… You're doing all of this for nothing!" Sanzo collapsed on the ground. Quietus started to approach Sanzo, but suddenly, his hidden memories came back.

"Aniki!! Stop tickling me!!" 

_"Ne, Hiro… What did you get in your tests today?"_

_"Aniki… Emiko seems to be becoming more and more like mom…"_

_"Hiro… Have you seen Kouryuu?"_

_"No. I haven't seen him lately, Hakkai."_

_"Kouryuu? That blonde guy across the street? Is it me or are we both bisexual?"_

_"Mou! Hiro… Don't spill the beans… Emiko might start gossiping…"_

_"Ha ha ha… Funny thing. I've also got a thing for Kouryuu…"_

_"Looks like we have another reason why we're twins, eh?"_

_"Emiko's acting strange lately…"_

_"Why?"_

_"I think she wants to kill me. Seriously."_

_"Now you die…"_

_"Emiko… Murderer…"_

_"You won't be alone…"_

_"Hiro… Cho Hiro… Hiro… Wake up… It's me… Your twin… Hakkai."_

"No… These memories… Are mine…" Quietus got to his knees, "Gomenasai, aniki! I don't want you to die!!" His cries echoed through time, reaching Hakkai's soul in the place of memories.

"Hiro… His memories came back…" Hakkai whispered as he suddenly got sucked back into his own body.

"I have to find him…" Hakkai ran off towards the lair. 


	10. Chapter 10

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

+_____

Note: Whew… After a long confusing ride of memories… We're near the end of it all… 'Tis fueled by Linkin Park over and over and over again…

+_____

**_Chapter 10: Fade Forgiven_**

****

Hakkai ran through the town, following his brother's cry. Even if the cold wind blew, he pushed through to get to his brother.

"Hold on, Hiro… Your brother's coming…"                                 

"Aniki? What in heck do you mean?" Sanzo got to his feet.

"My name is not Quietus… I was brainwashed to become a reaper… My real name is Cho Hiro… I came from another life… My sister killed me because of the Chameleon Heart legacy…" Hiro revealed, "My brother is Cho Hakkai…" 

"You're from another life… How can that be possible?"

"Pandemonium has no time and it is where every life ends. People there age, but no one dies… When I was killed, I wasn't able to enter the pool of souls, so I was brainwashed to become a reaper. I had access to any life. So I ended up here as Quietus, the hell-bent reaper. I was driven by my memories of pain in Pandemonium. I was a reaper, but I could remember souls being tortured in the pool… I didn't know I was a soul. Yet, I still felt sympathy for the souls being tortured…"

"Will I be able to trust you? You might attack me while my guard is down…" Sanzo took out his gun.

"Please believe me… Onegai, Genjo Kou… iya… Sanzo!" Hiro cried out in desperation.

"What were you about to call me?"

"Kouryuu… Genjo Kouryuu… That's you in the life I used to live…" Hiro replied softly, "My brother loved you so much… I liked you, but my brother already had you. When I died, I was told that Hakkai sold the house we used to live in and moved in to yours."

"Another of my lives holds my old name…" Sanzo pondered, "A name I wish to forget…"

"Hiro!" Hakkai panted as he entered the ballroom, "Sanzo, don't hurt him… He's gone through enough…" Hakkai took his brother into his arms, "It's okay, Hiro. Your brother is here…"

"Aniki… I missed you so much… No wonder I targeted you and Sanzo… I wanted to be with you again, but my raising as a reaper twisted my desire to a dark passion… Please forgive me, aniki… Forgive me, Hakkai…" Hiro's tears slowly flowed down his cheeks.

"I forgive you… Hiro." Hakkai smiled as he buried his hand in his brother's identical brown hair.

"Matte… Whatever happened to Gojyo?" Hiro's eyes flashed open, "Yoru must have poisoned him… We must save him…" He ran off in the direction of the garden while Sanzo and Hakkai followed close by.

"Gojyo!" Hiro cried out as he opened the doors of the garden, "He's weak… I'll only be a little while until he dies… The antidote must be with Yoru…"

"Can you save him?" Hakkai asked.

"If I can get the antidote from Yoru… I'll be able to save him…"

"You called, traitor?" Yoru appeared, "You've turned your back on your mission to liberate the souls of Pandemonium… I know what you're really up to… You just want to fulfill your own desire… You don't care about the freedom of the souls of Pandemonium… I won't give you the antidote until you defeat me!"

"Die, witch…" Hiro lifted his arms in a summoning form, "Pure light, shine on bloody impurity!  Holy!"

"The opposite of the Flare spell… You've really flipped, Quietus… You aren't being yourself… If you were yourself, you'd be killing everyone here with the Flare spell…" Yoru laughed, "Never mind… I'll take all of you out with it… Inscript the dark god into a rotting body!  Flare!"  

The two spells were summoned and dazzling light was created as the spells hit each other, but inside, Sanzo could see a shining stone.

"That stone… It's the… Chameleon Heart…" Sanzo murmured and as he looked at the far-end of the garden, Ren was there holding Gojyo.

"If you're wondering, I was the one who threw the Chameleon Heart into the battle… It will decide the winner… Don't worry, I have Yoru's antidote with me…" Ren smiled as he gave Gojyo the antidote.

"Arigatou, Ren-san…" Hakkai bowed. They all turned to watch the duel.

"Naaaa!! What's the big deal, leaving us in that dungeon!!" Goku whined as he entered the scene with Lirin.

"Urusai, bakazarou!! This is a life-or-death battle…" Sanzo growled.

"Gomenasai, Lirin-san… But I was the one who played Dokugakuji…" Hiro apologized as he continued to battle against the sorceress.

"Daijoubu! As long as you're on our side of this battle, it's okay…" Lirin cheered as she gave Hiro a pat on the back.

****

****


	11. Chapter 11

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

+_____

Note: Whew… After a long confusing ride of memories… We're near the end of it all… More Linkin-generated inspiration…

+_____

**_Chapter 11: The Witch's Sacrifice_**

****

The Chameleon Heart shifted towards Hiro.

"Yoshi… It's favoring him…" Gojyo watched on.

"Hah… The Heart favors you, so what? I'll summon the strongest monster to wreck hell upon you! Yoriko will be my sacrifice…" Yoru laughed.

"You witch, sacrificing your own blood just to destroy us… You're a monster…" Hiro yelled at his former subordinate.

"Sacrificing your own blood…? It isn't bad, is it? Cho Hakkai has been sacrificing his own kin… One in this life and another… no, two more in another… Kanan died for him and became part of the legacy… Emiko killed herself and Hiro here just to save him… Do you call that their free will… They sacrificed themselves… Just because of you." Yoru grinned evilly as she pointed at Hakkai.

"I did not want them to die… I never wanted Kanan to die! I didn't even want Hiro or Emiko to die either! Even if it wasn't my present life, I don't want to see people die for me anymore! I don't want to lose anymore…" Hakkai argued, his tears blossoming in his eyes.

"Well then… Watch another sacrifice, Cho Hakkai… Someday, one of them will die for you again… whether it be legacy or human nature…" Yoru summoned Yoriko to her side and she took out a silver dagger, "Die, my sister… Know you are useful to me… Die and raise stronger… Die and become ultimate… I summon thee, out of blood and darkness… Come forth, Altima!" The sorceress stabbed her sister in her heart and watched her slowly bleed to death, but strangely, Yoriko's back arched and her wound was healed. She slowly changed form, from the silver-haired girl Gojyo met in the town; she changed to a dark angel with black wings and shining red armor holding a silver spear in one hand.

"Die fools…" Yoru whispered. Altima closed her eyes as a dark beam started to materialize.

"I won't let you hurt them!" Hiro said as he started to conjure a white barrier.

"Neither will I let them hurt you…" Hakkai smiled as he helped his brother keep his barrier up. The beam was shot and the barrier dissolved it.

"Sanzo, me and Hakkai will try to defend against Altima… You, Goku and Gojyo will take offensive. Take care of Yoru first… Then defeat Altima… If you're wondering, Altima is a demon." Hiro explained.

"Matte yo… If you're back to being Hiro, why do you still have Quietus' memories?" Sanzo asked.

"The memories merged… So I know everything now…" Hiro explained with the pleasant Hakkai-ish smile on his face.

"Oi, Sanzo… Let the bakazarou and I take care of the witch… I better pay my debt to her…" Gojyo laughed.

"Wai!! Then let's have a big dinner to celebrate!" Goku cheered.

"Don't leave me out! I still have enough energy left!" Lirin cheered as well joining into the battle.

"Are you going to fight, Ren?" Gojyo asked the burly swordsman.

"Count me out… I think neither Yoru nor Altima are a match against you all…" Ren laughed as he faded away.

"Ja… Let's kill this witch before she poisons us all…" Gojyo laughed as he started attacking Yoru with his chain, but unfortunately, Yoru blew it away with a wind spell. The chain flew towards Gojyo and fortunately, Gojyo evaded his own weapon, but he wasn't quick enough to fully evade it.

"Ch… it's just a scratch…" Gojyo regained control of his weapon

"You won't get away that easily!" Goku cheered as he came crashing from above, but before he could hit the witch, she wrapped him in a ball of pure gravity making him crash into the grass of the garden.

"Goku!" Lirin cried out as Goku struggled to get back up.

"You are all so weak… Smoldering flames far below, punish the wicked!" Yoru chanted, but fortunately, Hiro came to intervene with the spell by casting a simple bolt spell on Yoru's arms, quickly bringing her arms down destroying the summoning process.

"Remember… Every sorcerer's weakness is in his or her medium of casting… Aim for her arms, then you'll easily win." Hiro guided Gojyo as he went back to watching over them.

Meanwhile, as Gojyo, Goku and Lirin handled the witch, Sanzo, Hakkai and Hiro watched the demon's every move.

"Where will she attack?" Hakkai asked Sanzo.

"I don't know either… We'll just have to wait and see…" Sanzo replied, "What do you think, Hiro?"

"Let's take the offensive. We'll have to surround Altima and destroy her." Hiro thought, "Stop her movement if you can, Sanzo, she's quick… I'll take the first blow…" He stepped forward and quickly casted an ice spell. The ice shards alerted Altima and she started to charge towards Hiro, "Quickly, Sanzo, stop her!" Sanzo then conjured the Makai Tenjou, but Altima quickly evaded it and focused on him as her target. Hakkai shot a blast of his ki at her to change her focus. Altima turned to dash toward Hakkai; Sanzo quickly reacted by pushing Hakkai away from Altima's path. Altima's spear hit Sanzo and a large gash appeared on his torso.

"Sanzo!!" Hakkai cried in worry as the wound began to bleed. Fortunately, though Altima continued to focus on Hakkai and the injured Sanzo, Hiro conjured his barrier around them both and as Altima hit the barrier, she cried in shock; the barrier was burning her skin.

"She's weak against white magic…" Hiro realized, "Sanzo… Aniki, let me heal him. Please keep Altima at bay…" Hakkai nodded and fired ki blasts at the demon to keep her away from Hiro and Sanzo. Hiro chanted a healing spell and magically healed Sanzo's wounds, "This is the perfect time to take Altima… Do your best, Sanzo…" 

Sanzo conjured the Makai Tenjou again as Hiro and Hakkai surrounded Altima with blasts of ki and white magic. The sutra successfully captured the demon.

"Sanzo!" Hakkai cried out, "We can't control her forever… Hiro! What's happening…?" Hakkai looked at his brother's hands, they were shaking and he was out of breath.

"Gomen, aniki… but, I'm starting to feel tired… I've been using too much magic…" Hiro panted, suddenly, the Chameleon Heart reacted and Hiro's stamina slowly regained, "Take care of yourself, too, aniki… You're starting to bleed…" Hiro looked at Hakkai on the other side, his wrists were starting to bleed, "If I'm lucky, the Chameleon Heart will heal you, too…" And luckily enough, the Chameleon Heart reacted once again to heal Hakkai's wounds.

"Let's keep this up now, Hiro… Don't let us down…" Hakkai smiled as he continued to keep Altima from breaking away from the sutra.

"Of course…" Hiro smiled back as he returned to keep Altima at bay, "Okay, now… Sanzo, do it!"

And quickly, Sanzo shot Altima once, yet it wasn't effective.

"Keep on shooting her!" Hakkai cried out. Sanzo continued to shoot until eight bullets were fired.

"One last one should do it…" Sanzo said as he reloaded his gun and shot one last bullet and slowly, Altima disintegrated.

"No… Those bastards… I'll take them down…" Yoru growled as she raised her arms to conjure again, but luckily, Gojyo finally wrapped his chain around the witch's arms and brought them down.

"You should keep your guard down, Ms. Yoru…" Gojyo laughed, "Goku, Lirin, finish it!" Goku and Lirin gave the witch a powerful combo that finished the whole battle off. But before Yoru died, without raising her arms, the ultimate magic was summoned.

"Come forth… Ultima!" The witch cried out in her dying breath. The attack was sudden. A bright ray of light crashed on the team, injuring them badly.

"Sanzo!" Hakkai watched Sanzo struggle in the light, "Don't die!"

"Hakkai…" Sanzo's eyes met Hakkai's, "I won't die… We won't die…"

The light slowly faded and all went dark…

****


	12. Chapter 12

Fake Lips 

_By yumeneko_

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just torturing some characters here.

+_____

Note: Whew… After a long confusing ride of memories… We're near the end of it all… This time it's a mix of soft music and Gackt-inspiration…

+_____

**_Chapter 12: Dawn Breaks_**

****

"Where are we?" Sanzo looked around. It was his hotel room, and the man watching over him wasn't Hakkai. It was Hiro. He didn't wear his dark cloak. What he wore was just a simple gray shirt and khaki pants.

"I promised Hakkai that I would never let you die…" Hiro smiled as he got up and headed for the door, "He's still in bed. If you don't mind, I'll have to look over him…"

"Hiro… Will you please tell him that I… don't want him to die neither…" Sanzo hesitated.

"I know what you really want me to tell him… You love him, don't you?" Hiro smiled, "If you'd like, I'll send him kisses! Ha ha ha…"

Sanzo sunk into his bed sheets and hid.

"So shy…"

"Aniki…" Hiro entered Hakkai's room, "Sanzo really does love you…"

"I know…" Hakkai said looking at some photos in his hands.

"Where did you get that?"

"While I was traveling through your memory, I found these in your hand." Hakkai smiled, "These are pictures of your life, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" Hiro said as he looked at the photos as well, "Hora…" He spotted a picture of him, Hakkai, Sanzo, Gojyo and Goku in a future life during the sakura season, "I can remember this photo clearly… Emiko was the one taking that. Kouryuu got so drunk that he embarrassed you during the festivities!"

"What did you say…?" Hakkai said confused.

"Nan demo nai, aniki… That's just a future you'll have to find out yourself…" Hiro said taking the photos out of Hakkai's hands.

"Hey, Hiro…" Hakkai started.

"Un?" His brother replied.

"How did you heal so fast?"

"It's the Chameleon Heart. Actually, it healed us both, but soon after, it disappeared… Looks like no one will be able to use it for a long time…" Hiro smiled, "I healed everyone else with white magic. But you stayed unconscious. My work could have been easier if you were conscious… Well then, once everyone's awake, I'll treat you all out."

"But where will you go after this?"

"I don't know… Maybe I might go back to the underworld… Or I'll have to live like I did as Quietus… I'll travel this world alone. And someday… Maybe someday… I'll see you all again. I won't be able to replay this life these photos hold. But someday, I'll definitely find you all again… even if it takes centuries. I'll travel though time and find you…" Hiro pondered, "Maybe I won't belong to the underworld anymore… I don't know where I should belong… It'll be so hard to find a place for an immortal to live… But I'll persevere… Don't worry about me, aniki. I'll be okay…"

Later that day, after Hiro treated them all out for a meal, it was time to say goodbyes.

"Well, this means goodbye…" Hiro smiled. Suddenly, his brother hugged him closely, "I'll miss you, too, aniki… Don't worry… I'll live forever. I'll see you again… somehow… someday…" Slowly, Hiro's body started to dissolve.

"Where are you going?" Sanzo asked.

"Far away… I promise I'll find you again…" Hiro's voice echoed as he finally disappeared.

"Sayonara, Hiro-san!!" Goku called out to the dusk skies.

"So… Hakkai… are you okay?" Sanzo placed his hand on Hakkai's shoulder later that night in the hotel room. Gojyo was enjoying the nightlife of the now alive town. Goku was enjoying the food festival they started to celebrate the freedom of the town. Hakkai nodded in response, looking through his window to watch the brilliant lights shine.

"Sanzo…" Hakkai began, "Love me…" he placed his hand upon Sanzo's own. Sanzo came close and wrapped his arms around his lover.

"I'll love you… As long as you want me to…" Sanzo whispered.

Meanwhile, as Hakkai and Sanzo loved each other, Hiro stood upon the hotel roof his black cloak exchanged for a deep purple one. A long black mark ran from his eye to his cheek. The mark of an immortal.

"I knew it would always turn out like this…" Hiro laughed to himself, "Kouryuu's so lucky to have a guy like my bro… Saa… Time to run off… I may always be Hiro inside, but nonetheless… I'm still the immortal Quietus…"

~Owari~


End file.
